Shoe-shining machine



Patented Aug. 17, 1926.

UNlTED STATES PARKER T. FREY, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

SHOE-SHINING MACHINE.

Application filed January The present invention is a shoe-shining machine and relates to coin-controlled, automat-ic, electrically-driven, means for polishing shoes. This invention contemplates an automatic machine for public use which will not require an attendant and which will clean, shine, and polish shoes in a very short space of time and which employs a plurality of rotative elements, each of which is so constructed that, while it is continuously rotated, various elements required in the shoe polishing operation, such as the application of the polish, rough brush, flannel wipers and. the like will be successively presented to the work so that when the operation is complete all of these elements will have performed their Work in the proper sequence.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide means rendering the device suitable for either high or low cut shoes, selectively Obviously a machine oi the character described which would complete the cycle or og'icrations in a very short time, say, for instance, one minutes duration, and effect a uniformly satisfactory result would not only yield a satisfactory profit as an automatic machine, but would render a valuable service to patrons by saving them much time.

In this specification and the annexed draws, the invention is illustrated in the form sidered to be the best, but it is not limited uch form because it may be embodied in her forms, and it is also to be understood .t in and by the claims following the defption it is desired to cover the inventioi in whateyer form it may be embodied,

in the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a face view of a rotary polishmember, 7 igure 2 is a section of Fig. 1 taken on the lI-ll, Figure 3 is a fragmentary view of Fig. with the. parts successively broken away or removed for the purpose of illustration,

Figures a, 5 and 6 respectively, are top rear elevation, and side elevation,

12, 1925. Serial No. 1,794.

shoes and illustrating means associated therewith for obstructing a coin slot.

Referring to the drawings, Figs. 1 and 2, the numeral 1 indicates in its entirety, a

composite fabric of elastic material. In

Fig. 1, I show this circular member as composed of segments A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H, which are stitched at the radial edges, as indicated at 2, to form a circular sheet, the edges of which are bent over an annular flange 4:, (Fig. 2) on a plate 6. The plate 6 is centrally bored to admit therethrough a drive shaft 7 to which said shaft the plate is keyed as by a key 8.

Within the annular flange 4 I provide a second plate 9 which is also centrally bored to admit therethrough the. shaft 7 The plate 9 is not keyed to shaft 7 but instead is freely rota able thereon,'being held against lateral displacement by pins 11 extending through shaft 7 radially. The purpose of the plate 9 is to carry a hemispherical member 12 of resilient material such as porous rubber.'

a woolly material, and D and G a flannel,

fabric, thepurpose of this composite structure being to efi ect mechanically the successive operation required to .polish shoes after the manner now employed by boot blacks. I

In orderto rotate the member 12 with respect to the circular fabric 1, to successively bulge or extend laterally portions of said sheet, I provide the following mechanism; the plate 9, which carries the member 12, is provided on its edge with gear teeth, as indicated in Fig. 3, at 13. The inner surfaceof the flange 1 of the member 6 is also provided with gear teeth corresponding to the teeth 13, as indicated at 1%. At 16, I show a pinion engaged by the teeth 13 and 14. This.

pinion is keyed to a shaft 17 extending through the plate 6. Also secured to shaft 17 is the star wheel 18, the prongs of which extend beyond the periphery ofthe plate 6 revolution of the member 12 will complete the cycle of brushing and polishing the shoes.

In order to provide an. automatic means for dispensing polish or blacking at one stage of the operation, i provide the plate 6 with an upstanding annular cam indicated in the drawings at 21. The purpose of this cam is to exert pressure on a diaphragm 22 for the purpose of forcing polish, grease or the like indicated at 23 through an opening 24 in said diaphragm and through apertures 26 in the segment E of the member. 1.

It will be seen that the rotation 01 the plate 9 with respect to the plate 6 is very slow. The length and position of the cam 21 are so predetermined that grease will be di pensed only at the proper interval during each cycle of operation.

The parts so far described constitute one polishing unit and my invention contemplates the provision of a plurality of such units driven from a common source and rotating in different planes, the different elements being overlapped and so positioned in respect to each other that the elements rotating on one plane will overlap the work of those rotating on another plane and thereby completely polish and shine a shoe.

While it is possible to assemble my elements in various forms and provide different means of driving I indicate in Fig. 7 diagrammatically a plan of gearing for driving the elements as shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. A main drive shaft 7 is driven by means of a grooved pulley 27 around which passes abelt 28 which also passes around a pulley 29 on the shaft of a motor 31.

I prefer to make my machine a coin-controlled automatic one and therefore I interpose on the wiring circuit NP which drives the motor 31 a coin-controlled time switch 32 arranged to drive said motor for a predetermined length of time. Keyed to the drive shaft 7* are a plurality of my elements as shown in Fig. 2 indicated in the drawings at J. These elements are four in number and adapted to polish the inside and outside of a pair of shoes on a wearer standing on foot plates 30, Fig. 4. Also keyed to drive shaft 7 are bevel gears 33 which mesh with similar bevel gears 34 and 36, keyed respectively to shafts 37 and 38. To the shafts 38 I key one of my elements shown in Fig. 2 which, when rotated on this plane, as indicated at K, serves to polish the heel. Keyed to the shaft 37 is a bevel gear 38 which meshes with a similar bevel gear 40 which is keyed to a vertical shaft 41 to which in turn is keyed one of my elements shown in F ig. 2 for polishing the top or toe of a shoe as indicated at L in the drawings.

In Fig. 8, at 42 I show a rock shatt to which is keyed as shown at 43 a hand lever 44. At 46 I show lever arms, also keyed to the rock shaft 42 and extending beneath the foot plates 30. Vhen the hand lever 44 is in the full line position shown in Fig. 8 the footplate 30 is in the position adapted to shine high shoes. In order to raise the foot plate and at the same time preserve the relative position of the element L which shines the top and toe of the shoe I biturcate the end of the foot plates 30 as indicated in Fig. 4 at- 47 to surround vertical shaft 41 which drives the element L The key 8 of this element is purposely elongated and a loose tit provided between said key and the element whereby the element L is slidable on said shaft 41 longitudinally with respect to the shaft. If hand lever 44 be moved to the dotted line position the foot plate and element L will rise to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 8. In order to protect a patron ot the machine from the wrong adjustment of the foot plate I provide a mechanism which will obstruct the coin slot of the machine rendering same inoperative until the patron has positively chosen the position required.

At 48 I show a hollow casting provided with. an arcuate slot 49 which limits the movement of the hand lever 44 extending therethrough. Slidable in bore 51 in cast ing 48 is a plug 52. The plug 52 is hollow and contains a spring 53 arranged to urge said plug towards the center of the casting 49. The plug 52carries a depending lug 54, the purpose of which is to blind a coin slot 56. By placing one of the spring pressed plugs in'the path of travel of the hand lever 44 at each end of its stroke it will be seen that both of coin slots 56 will be blinded by the lugs 54, the springs 53 urging the plugs to that position shown at the right of Fig. 8.

The normal limit of the movement of lever 44 will be that indicated by the dotted line positions. However, it pressure be exerted this limit may be extended by compressing either of springs 53 uncovering either of the coin slots 56 which communicate with passages '57 both of which lead to a coin slot 58 which conducts the coin to the switch 32. The circular fabric member 1 is removably secured to the flange 4 by a ring 3, Figs. 1 and 2.

It will be seen that I have provided a means for automatically preventing misuse of the machine and a patron will be obliged to select either the high or low position before inserting his coin.

I claim:

1. An element in a shoe polishing machine comprising a rotary member provided with a series of brushing and polishing surfaces and means for extendin laterally, with respect to the plane of rotation of said memher, said surfaces successively during the rotation of said member.

2. A shoe polishing machine comprising rotary elements, so disposed as to surround each foot of a person in standing position, each of said elements provided with brushing and polishing members, means for simultaneously rotating said elements and means for extending, laterally, said brushing and polishing members, successively, during the rotation thereof.

3. A shoe polishing machine comprising rotary elements, so disposed as to surround each foot of a person in standing position, each of said elements provided with brushing and polishing members, coin-controlled means for simultaneously rotating said elements and means for extending, laterally said brushing and polishing members, successively, during the rotation thereof.

4. A shoe polishing machine comprising a pair of foot rests, rotary elements quadrilaterally disposed around each of said rests, each of said elements provided with brushing and polishing members, means for simultaneously rotating said elements, means for extending, laterally, said brushing and polishing members, successively, during the rotation of said elements, and manually operated means for moving said foot rests selectively to different levels, with respect to the rotary elements, to adapt the machine to the polishing of high or low shoes.

5. A shoe polishing machine comprising a pair of foot rests, rotary elements quadrilaterally disposed around each of said rests, each of said elements provided with brushing and polishing members, means for simultaneously rotating said elements, means for extending, laterally, said brushing and polishing members successively during the rotation of said elements, manually operated means for moving said footrests, selectively, to different levels with respect to the rotary elements to adapt the machine to the polishing of high or low shoes, and means preventing the operation of the machine until a said manual selection has been made.

6. A shoe polishing machine comprising a pair of foot rests, rotary elements quadrilaterally disposed around each of said rest-s, each of said elements provided with brushing and polishing members, coin-controlled means for simultaneously rotating said elements and means for extending, laterally, said brushing and polishing members, successively, during the rotation of said elements, manually operated means for moving said foot rests, selectively, to different levels with respect to the rotary elements to adapt the machine to the polishing of high or low shoes, and means preventing the operation of the machine by excluding a coin until said manual selection has been made.

7. In a shoe polishing machine a rotary element comprising a plate provided with a series of brushing and polishing elements, and a second plate provided with means for extending, successively, said elements, laterally, with respect to the plane of their rotatlon. V

8. In a shoe polishing machine a rotary element comprising a plate provided with a series of brushing and polishing elements, a second plate provided with means for extending, successively, said elements, laterally with respect to the plane of their rotation, and means for driving said plates simultaneously, at difierent speeds, whereby said lateral extension of said elements will recur at predetermined intervals. 7

9. In a shoe polishing machine a rotary element comprising a plate provided with a series of brushing and polishing elements, a second plate provided with means for extending, step by step, during rotation, said elements laterally with respect to the plane of their rotation.

10. In a shoe polishing machine a rotary element comprising a plate provided with a series of brushing and polishing elements, a second plate provided with means for extending, successively, said elements lateral- 1y, with respect to the plane of their rotation, and means for dispensing a polishing medium through one of said elements while the device is rotating.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signa ture.

PARKER T. FREY. 

